Knotted Handcrafted Bowties is an Alabama Maker of knockout neckwear
Jay Hendrix owns Knotted Handcrafted Bowties with his wife A.J. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama NewsCenter)
Knotted Handcrafted Bowties (Mobile)
The Makers: Jay and A.J. Hendrix
The bowtie can add both polish and pizazz to a wardrobe.
For a Mobile couple, it is also a profession.
The pattern for what became Knotted Handcrafted Bowties was cut when the now-married Jay and A.J. Hendrix were still dating.
“She had a sewing machine and we thought about different things we could do with it – pillows and other types of handmade items – and we really didn’t feel comfortable with those things,” Jay Hendrix said. “So, after a few days and a lot of praying and different ideas bouncing off of each other, we landed on bowties.”
After finding a pattern and some fabric and a good bit of trial and error, they had something they thought would sell.
“We got to a finished product we felt like we could sell and here we are today,” he said. “I do it full time now. This will be my fifth year in business.”
Getting to this point has taken a lot of travel and one-on-one sales.
Hendrix has traveled from Texas to Georgia, selling bowties at markets, craft shows and other venues.
Face-to-face sales helped Knotted overcome the intimidation of tying a bowtie.
Knotted Handcrafted Bowties is an Alabama Maker of noticeable neckwear from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
“That was something we thought long and hard about because every guy doesn’t know how to tie bowties,” he said. “What we do is we have a clip installed in the back of our ties that enables it to be taken off from the back once it’s tied.”
Hendrix will even tie the bowtie himself and unclip the band and allow the customer to have it already tied.
Knotted has grown its customer base by adding church organizations, social groups and others.
And, of course, Mardi Gras.
A lot of Mardi Gras organizations in Mobile get their bowties from Knotted.
“We just did a group for the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association – a real big order for them; got guys really tight and nice with some nice Mardi Gras ties and socks as well,” Hendrix said. “Mardi Gras is really big for us.”
Knotted finds fabrics at Etsy and other places online, and at any number of retail outlets. A growing part of the business is repurposing fabrics from vintage clothing. Hendrix loves using original fabrics from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
“Any kind of textile material, we can just about make a bowtie out of,” he said.
Those vintage fabrics give a tie the originality that Hendrix loves in a bowtie.
“To me, bowties should have personality,” he said. “It should be something with wild daisies and flowers and anchors and fish and all kind of weird things like that.”
Hendrix said it takes him about 15 to 20 minutes to make an initial tie from scratch but then he can make as many as 10 in an hour when he gets cranking at the sewing machine.
Paisley is currently Knotted’s most popular pattern but Hendrix said vintage patterns and anything ocean-related are popular.
Hendrix is excited about Knotted’s new collection that will soon be on the company’s revamped website. Knotted Handcrafted Bowties are also sold at Urban Emporium in downtown Mobile. Hendrix said they are looking to add kiosks at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover and at the Shoppes at Bel Air mall in Mobile.
Starting his business in Mobile was fortunate, Hendrix believes.
“We love everything that the city is doing for local businesses and allowing us the opportunity to have things like Art Walk and Market in the Park and other events and things like that that allow us the exposure that we need to stay sustainable and allow us to grow as well,” he said.
He believes there is still much more room to grow.
“It’s been such a wonderful journey,” Hendrix said. “We’re just a homegrown company. We put our heart into everything we do. We try to make sure that our heart is shown in everything that we put out.”
Knotted Handcrafted Bowties
The product: Handmade bowties in a variety of designs along with socks and other men’s accessories.
Take home: A reversible black and black and white striped bowtie ($20).
You can find Knotted Handcrafted Bowties online and on Facebook and Instagram.
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